Decorative toy for christmas trees



Feb. 21, 1956 H. J. BROWN ET AL DECORATIVE TOY FOR CHRISTMAS TREES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1954 .4" S: 3 m M m 8 W 4 M Q M mm m 0 B 8JG 3 0.8 mm. e R

Feb. 21, 1956 H. J. BROWN ET AL DECORATIVE TOY FOR CHRISTMAS TREES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1954 H 5 Harry J Brown Reg/s 6. BaileyINVENTORS,

BY and United States Patent DECORATIVE TOY FOR CHRISTMAS TREES Harry J.Brown and Regis G. Bailey, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application November 15,1954, Serial No. 468,858 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-240) This invention relatesto the class of toys, and more particularly to a novel decoration foruse in association with Christmas trees or the like.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision ofa highly attractive and amusing base for a Christmas tree or likeornament on which toy vehicles will move in opposite directions alongsubstantially circular trackways without any propulsion means beingvisible.

The construction of this invention features means for mountingchannel-shaped bands for rotation in opposite directions, the bandssupporting magnets which attract other magnets carried by the wheeledvehicles riding in trackways of an upper base portion positioned abovethe bands.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of meansfor rotating magnet carrying bands in opposite directions using a commonfriction drive wheel.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a toy that is simple in construction, highly efiicient inoperation, especially attractive in appearance, and capable of providingconsiderable amusement.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this toy, a preferred embodiment of which hasbeen illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only,wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the toy with the Christmas tree or likeornament with which the toy is associated being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the toy comprising the presentinvention and illustrating the manner in which the toy may be associatedwith the stand of a Christmas tree and with the Christmas tree itself;

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the lower base sections;

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view in an exploded state of asectional band;

Figure 5 is a partial plan view illustrating the construction of thedrive means for actuating the bands; and

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view illustrating the construction of thedrive means for the bands in detail.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 designates the trunk of a Christmas tree or likeornament with which the toy generally designated by reference numeral 12is adapted to be associated. This toy 12 includes a lower base portion14 which is recessed, as at 16, for reception and support of an upperbase portion 18. The lower base portion 14 and the upper base portion 18can be constructed from any suitable material, such as plaster of Paris,papier-mache or the like.

Bonded to the inner edge, as at 20, of the upper base portion 18, is apiece of fabric cloth 22 provided with drawstrings, as at 24, which isadapted to be tied about the trunk of a tree. The cloth 22 may bepainted and configurated to depict a hilly terrain, while the lower baseportion 14 and upper base portion 18 may have any desiredconfigurations. The upper base portion 18 is provided with a pair oftrackways 26 and 28 which are concentric with respect to each other.

The lower base portion 14 and the upper base portion 18 are formed insections so that they may be readily positioned about the base of thetree 10 and may be held together by any suitable fasteners, such asthose indicated at 30, see Figure 3.

Mounted within the lower base portion 14 is a motor 32 supplied byelectrical current through a conductor 34 which is connected to avariable transformer 36 or the like for controlling flow of current tothe motor 32.

The motor 32 drives a shaft on which a friction wheel 38 is mounted, thefriction wheel being adapted to engage metallic bands 40 and 42. Themetallic bands, see Figure 4, are arranged in sections, as at 44 and 46,with the section 44 being provided with an aperture 48 in one endthereof and the section 46 having a connecting connector 50 adapted tobe engaged within the aperture 48 to hold the sections 44 and 46together. Likewise, the other ends of the semi-circular sections 44 and46 are provided with suitable means for attachment.

Carried on shafts 52 and 54 journaled in the lower base portion 14 andoffset by means of eccentric arms 56 and 58 are a pair of rollers 60 and62 which are normally urged together by a spring 64 terminally attachedto the arms 56 and 58. The roller 60 is provided with an upper flange 66and a lower flange 68, while the roller 62 is provided with an upperflange 70 and a lower flange 72. The rollers 60 and 62 are adapted toresiliently hold the bands 40 and 42 in engagement with the roller 38,the channel-shaped bands 40 and 42 being received between the upper andlower flanges 66, 68, and 70, 72.

Spaced idler wheels which are indicated at 74 are engaged by thechannel-shaped bands 40 and 42 which are held against the idler wheel 74by means of spring pressed rollers 76 and 78. The Wheels 74 and therollers 76 and 78 are positioned as may be necessary in annular spacedrelationship along the lower base portion 14.

Carried by the channel-shaped bands 40 and 42 and magnetically attractedthereby are magnets, as at 80 and 82. The magnets 80 and 82 cooperatewith other magnets 84 and 86 positioned in miniature wheeled vehicles 88and 90. The vehicles 88 and 90 are positioned on the trackways 26 and 28in the upper base portion 18.

The operation of this toy is quite simple. With the motor 32 revolvingthe friction drive wheel 38, the rollers 60 and 62 will hold the bands40 and 42 in engagement with the friction drive wheel 38 which thereforerotates the bands 40 and 42 in opposite directions. The magnets 80 and82 while they remain seated in the bands 40 and 42 will attract themagnets 84 and 86, and hence, while the bands 40 and 42 are rotating,and with the upper base section 18 remaining stationary, the vehicles 88and 90 will follow the magnets 80 and 82. Thus, with no apparent meansof locomotion, vehicles will be seen traveling along the trackways 26and 28 in a novel and highly entertaining manner.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily apparent and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary.However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, allsuitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A toy comprising a lower base portion having a motor driving afriction drive wheel mounted thereon, other wheels rotatably mounted onsaid lower base portion, pairs of spring pressed rollers mounted on saidlower base portion and resiliently urged inwardly towards said drivewheel and said other wheels, annular metallic bands received betweensaid rollers and said drive wheel and said other wheels, magnets carriedby said bands, an upper base portion overlying said bands, said upperbase portion having trackways in alignment with said bands, said lowerbase portion and said upper base portion being sectional andencompassing the base of an ornament, and a flexible cloth secured tosaid upper base portion engaging said ornament.

2. A toy comprising a lower baseportion having a motor driving afraction drive wheel mounted thereon, other wheels rotatably mounted onsaid lower base portion, pairs of spring pressed rollers mounted on saidlower base portion and resiliently urged inwardly towards said drivewheel and said other wheels, annular metallic bands received betweensaid rollers and said drive wheel and said other wheels, magnets carriedby said bands, and upper base portion overlying said bands, said upperbase portion having trackways in alignment with said bands, said rollerseach having upper and lower flanges for guidingly receiving said bandstherebetween, said bands beingsectional and being of channel shape, andwheeled vehicles having magnets carried thereby positioned on saidtrackways, said lower base portion and said upper base portion beingsectional and encompassing the base of an ornament, and a flexible clothsecured to said upper base portion engaging said ornament.

3. A toy comprising a lower base portion having a motor driving afriction drive wheel mounted thereon, other wheels rotatably mounted onsaid lower base portion, pairs of spring pressed rollers mounted on saidlower base portion and resiliently urged inwardly towards said drivewheel and said other wheels, annular metallic bands received betweensaid rollers and said drive wheel and said other wheels, magnets carriedby said bands, an upper base portion overlying said bands, said lowerbase portion and said upper base portion being sectional andencompassing the base of an ornament, and a flexible cloth secured tosaid upper base portion engaging said ornament, said upper base portionhaving trackways in alignment with said bands, and wheeled vehicleshaving magnets carried thereby positioned on said trackways.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,486,273 Gibson Oct. 25, 1949 2,551,806 McKeever May 8, 1951 FOREIGNPATENTS 629,834 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1949 1,008,287 France Feb. 13,1952

